When I need a cozy breakfast that doesn’t chain me to the stove, these Baked Apple Fritters are my go-to. They use pantry basics, one bowl for dry, one for wet, and about 30 minutes total. No deep-frying, no juggling oil temperatures, just mix, scoop, bake, and broil.
They’re great for a slow Saturday with kids, a quick contribution to a brunch spread, or a “breakfast for dinner” night when everyone needs something warm and a little sweet. I like that they’re sturdy enough to pick up with your hands, but soft and fluffy inside with real chunks of apple. You can scale the size up or down, and the simple glaze pulls everything together. If you want something that feels bakery-level without the hassle, this is one of those recipes that actually fits into real life.
Simple Steps to Baked Apple Fritters
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Inside This Recipe
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup milk (higher fat milk gives richer flavor)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped apple
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk (again, higher fat works best)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat that’s broiler-safe. If your mat isn’t rated for the broiler, skip it and bake directly on the pan; you’ll just have a bit more cleanup later.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Add the cold butter pieces and cut them into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingers until the mix looks like coarse crumbs. You should still see small, pea-sized bits of butter—that’s what keeps the fritters tender.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the 1/2 cup milk, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. Pour this wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients and stir gently just until no dry flour remains. The batter will be thick and sticky. Fold in the chopped apple, being careful not to overmix so the fritters stay light.
- Using a 1/4-cup measure, drop mounds of batter onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them a couple of inches apart. For smaller fritters, use a heaping tablespoon instead. You don’t need to shape them perfectly—rough edges help create more crunchy bits.
- Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the bottoms are golden and the centers feel set when lightly pressed. If you made smaller fritters, start checking around 8 minutes. Transfer the baked fritters, still on the pan, to a wire rack and turn your oven to broil.
- While the oven switches to broil, make the glaze. In a bowl, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until completely smooth. It should be thick but pourable; add tiny splashes of milk if it’s too stiff. Brush a thin layer of glaze over the warm fritters.
- Return the glazed fritters to the oven under the broiler and cook for 2–4 minutes, watching closely. Pull them as soon as the tops turn lightly golden and the glaze is bubbling; they can go from perfect to too dark very quickly.
- Carefully move the hot baking sheet back to the wire rack. Brush the remaining glaze over the warm fritters so it soaks into the top and around the edges.
- Let the glaze firm up for several minutes, then serve while still slightly warm. These are best on the same day you bake them, when the outside is crisp and the center is fluffy.
Best Apples to Use
You can use almost any apple here, but some work better than others. For a good balance of sweetness and structure, I like Honeycrisp, Fuji, or Gala. They stay juicy without turning mushy. If you prefer a more tart bite, Granny Smith is great; just know you’ll taste more tang against the sweet glaze. Whatever you choose, aim for small, even pieces about pea-size so they soften quickly but don’t leak too much juice into the batter. If your apples are very juicy, lightly pat the chopped pieces with a paper towel before folding them in—this keeps the fritters from spreading too much in the oven.
Make Them Ahead-Friendly
These baked apple fritters are at their best fresh, but you can work ahead a bit. One option is to mix the dry ingredients and cut in the butter the night before, then store the bowl in the fridge; in the morning you just whisk the wet ingredients, combine, and bake. You can also bake the fritters fully, cool them, and store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. Reheat them in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 5–8 minutes to bring back some crispness. If you know you’ll reheat later, glaze them lightly after baking, then add a small extra drizzle of glaze after warming so they don’t dry out.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why are my baked apple fritters spreading too much or turning flat?
Flat fritters usually mean the batter was too warm or too loose. If the butter softens too much before baking, it melts too quickly and the fritters spread. To avoid this, keep the butter cold and work fairly quickly after mixing. If your apples are very juicy, blot them with a paper towel before folding them into the batter so they don’t add extra liquid. The batter should be thick and scoopable, not pourable. If it seems too runny, you can sprinkle in an extra tablespoon of flour before baking.
How do I know when the fritters are fully baked before broiling?
Because these are baked instead of fried, getting the first bake right matters. Look for golden edges and a firm center. When you gently press the middle of a fritter, it should bounce back instead of feeling squishy. You can also peek at the bottom of one fritter with a spatula; it should be nicely browned, not pale. If you’re unsure, add 1–2 extra minutes of baking rather than rushing to the broiler. Underbaked fritters can collapse or taste doughy once glazed.
Can I reduce the sugar or make these a bit less sweet?
Yes, you have some flexibility. You can reduce the brown sugar in the batter by about 2 tablespoons without affecting texture much. Just don’t cut it in half, or the fritters may turn out drier and less tender. For the glaze, start with 3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar and the same amount of milk, then add more sugar only if you want a thicker coating. Another option is to brush on a thinner layer of glaze before broiling and skip the second glaze after baking. This keeps the fritters flavorful but not overly sweet.
Baked Apple Fritters
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- baking sheet
- Silicone baking mat or parchment
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Fritters:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter cold, cut into pieces
- 1/2 cup milk use higher fat for richer flavor
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped apple
Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk use higher fat if available
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment. If your mat isn’t broiler-safe, omit it and expect a slightly messier pan.
For Fritters:
- In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. Work the cold butter into the dry mix with a pastry cutter or fingers until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Whisk the milk, egg, and vanilla in a small bowl. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Fold in the chopped apples gently so the batter stays tender.
- Scoop the batter onto the prepared sheet by 1/4-cup portions for standard fritters (use a heaping tablespoon for smaller ones), spacing them a couple inches apart.
- Bake for about 11–13 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden and centers are set (if making small fritters, begin checking at 8 minutes). Remove the tray to a wire rack and switch the oven to broil.
For Glaze:
- While the oven is heating to broil, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and lump-free.
- Brush a light coating of glaze over each warm fritter, then place the pan under the broiler for 2–4 minutes, watching closely until the tops deepen in color and the glaze bubbles.
- Transfer the fritters back to the wire rack, brush with the remaining glaze, allow it to set, and serve. These taste best the same day.
